Nuclear fuel is a material that can be 'consumed' by nuclear fission or fusion to derive nuclear energy. Nuclear fuel can refer to the fuel itself, or to physical objects (for example bundles composed of fuel rods) composed of the fuel material, mixed with structural, neutron moderating, or neutron reflecting materials.
Most nuclear fuels contain heavy fissile elements that are capable of nuclear fission. When these fuels are struck by neutrons, they are in turn capable of emitting neutrons when they break apart. This makes possible a self-sustaining chain reaction that releases energy with a controlled rate in a nuclear reactor or with a very rapid uncontrolled rate in a nuclear weapon.
The most common fissile nuclear fuels are uranium-235 (235U) and plutonium-239 (239Pu). The actions of mining, refining, purifying, using, and ultimately disposing of nuclear fuel together make up the nuclear fuel cycle.
Not all types of nuclear fuels create power from nuclear fission. Plutonium-238 and some other elements are used to produce small amounts of nuclear power by radioactive decay in radioisotope thermoelectric generators and other types of atomic batteries. Also, light nuclides such as tritium (3H) can be used as fuel for nuclear fusion.
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How Uranium Becomes Nuclear Fuel
How Does Nuclear Power Work?
Removal of nuclear fuel assemblies from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
AREVA - Nuclear fuel
AREVA TN - NUHOMS Used Nuclear Fuel Loading
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
How Its Made Spent Nuclear Fuel Contaners
US Spent Nuclear Fuel Largest Concentration Of Radioactivity On Planet
chernobyl 2012: finding a fragment of chernobyl's nuclear reactor fuel (in nature)
Argonne explains nuclear recycling in 4 minutes
Where the U.S. stores 345,000 spent Nuclear Fuel Rods
North Korea restarts nuclear fuel reactor
Nuclear Fuel Cycle - Uranium.mp4
Nuclear Fuel: Liquid vs Solid - "Th" Thorium Documentary
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